The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-11-07


When the Hon. Abram s. Hewitt spoke Of
Colonel Fellows's {" simple Christian life. :"
he could not have been thoroughly familiar
with his career or else he hoped that the
people of New York had forgotten it.
Viewed in the light of subsequent develop
ments Mr.. Hewitt can but regard the selec-
ton Of the word Christian to describe Mr..
Fellows as exceedingly unfortunate. In
1872 when William M. Tweed was indicted
Mr. Fellows was assistant district attorney
and of course was familiar with the case
against him. About two months before
Tweed's trial Fellows went out of office.
Tweed was first tried in January, 1873, and
on the 31st day Of that month the jury re-
ported that they were unable to agree and
were discharged. Eleven of the jurymen
were in favor of conviction, but one stood
out from the very first for acquittal. There
never was any doubt that that man was
fixed" Now the New York Times fur
nishes the text of two letters, the original of
which it has in its possession, written by
Colonel Fellows to William NJ. Tweed Feb
ruary l, 1873, the day following the disa-
greement Of the jury, as follows:
NEW YORK, Feb'y /, 1873.
Dear SRI am sorry to have TO avail myself of
your generous offer of yesterday, but have not
and am situated as follows have $4,000 to
pay today and have $500 to do il with. As part
Is for rent and the rest note in bank, l CAM re-
turn II as soon as l can see those Gentlemen
Yours most truly,
Lengthwise of this note in the upper left cor
ner, is written, IN the handwriting of s. Foster
Dewey, William NJ. Tweed's private secretary
Gave Fellows ch'k for 1923. Feb'y..1, 1873
On the back of the note, as it was filed away,
was written by William NJ Tweed, in bis grabbed
hand,
~. r. FELLOWS. l February, 1873"
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 1873
My Dear Sir'-YOu will pardon me if again send
messenger, as O'Clock is rapidly approaching
AS Mr.. Dewey may have ret'd you will excuse
TINS seeming persistence am sure;
Lengthwise of the note in the upper left hand
corner is written by Foster Dewey:
An's'd with ch'k for 1923. Dewey
The Times asks very pertinently why it
was that Tweed ON the very day of the dis
agreement felt so grateful as to make
generous Offer to Col. Fellows; and why
Col. Fellows If he is the simple Christian"
gentleman that Mr. Hewitt styles him ac-
cepted this generous offer" If Col. Fellows
had done his duty to the State while District
AeSSAhNJ ehN hau hCPt
alton he obtained in that Office after his re-
tirement, as he was bound in honor to do, it
is hardly conceivable that Mr.. Tweed's feel
ings towards him would have been so
kindly as to prompt him to makea generous
offer" The Times therefore very properly
calls upon Mr.. Fellows to explain why it
was that Tweed felt in so kindly mood on
the day of his escape as to offer to loan him
5000 and how Col. Fellows came to accept.
The Times thinks that if he cannot explain
this satisfactorily to the decent people of
New York he might as well retire from the
contest The World also has discovered
some evidence which seems to reflect I'M
favorably on Mr.. Fellows's Christian charac-
ter-no Jess than suit against him for a
gambling debt in which he plead that gam
bling was immoral.